NQR Banana Tree rescue

[Boni]

I rescued these banana trees from BiMart yesterday. They were covered with leaf hoppers and almost dead from drought.

I've always wanted to try one, and I just couldn't resist. I thought that since there are several quilters from Florida, California, Hawaii, Australian Tropics, that maybe someone could tell me if I'm crazy or if I may have a chance to successfully grow them. I really don't expect bananas, but I'd love some lush foliage.

I'm very close to the 45th parallel in Oregon. What do you think?

[Boni]

Here's the other one.

[Linda G. Craig]

Hi Boni, the only info I can pass on is from my SIL who lives in Oklahoma. She brought several banana trees from San Antonio. They are absolutely flourishing in OK. She does dig them up in the fall though and places them in really big pots and keeps them in their cabana for the winter. They have harvested bananas from them as well. Good luck!

[FowlManorQuilting]

Linda is right on. You will need to bring them in for the winter. Banana trees grow well and once they bloom and give you fruit the mother plant will die and smaller ones will come up from the root system. So don't be alarmed when it starts to whither and croak. I've had plantains in my back yard for over 30 years. They continue to bear fruit when not covered by the vines that are so plentiful here in Florida. However I've never tasted any that we grow due to being allergic to latex. I hear they are good eating, I think you would have no problem keeping one alive and thriving with care. They take allot of water! And big pots! Hope this helps. g

[Bekah]

Boni I see banana trees all the time around my neighborhood so I know they grow here in Oregon. good luck. they look pretty healthy actually.

[RitaR]

Hi Bonnie and Fred, We had these almost covering our front windows, when we first moved to Tex. They grew to the roof, did not produce and the wasps loved to try to build nests under the leaves. Hubby found that out after several stings.

We didn't know to take them in.. they'd die down almost to the ground and come up again the next year.

I'd ask a gardner, or check on line.. probably tell you don't grow them in that area, but what the hey, weren't supposed to be able to grow raspberries in CA either, and there was a beautiful 6 or 7 acre patch just up the Napa Valley from us. Tasty.

Good luck with your green fingers (even if only by gloves) and banan plants.

RitaR

[Daisy2018]

Have gardened in a variety of climates, including CA, currently GA. Bananas fun, they really do best where it is warm, humid, soil ammended with something like mushroom compost. Wind is an enemy, tatters the leaves, drys the plant. Pull indoors well before 45 degrees, let dry a little, hold in a sunny indoors area. I kept one going for 4 years before got tired of "hauling" They do get noticed if they are large, look great with cannas and hibiscus. Have fun and try growing them...It's fun to succeed with something new.

I have aggapanthus, hibiscus, cymbidium orchids, clivia, foxtail asparagus fern, epiphylum, and others, I really loved them in other areas of the country, here I baby them, really enjoy them thru the summer, and haul them indoors every fall:P:P:P Love to garden almost as much as quilt, Pat

[kennan100]

We have them all over the place here. And being subtropical we don't do anything special to them. It does get below. 30 several times during the winter, normally, but not a sustained 30 so it's not like the ground really freezes hard. We do cut them back to about a foot above the ground in about .March, and them immediately start pushing new growth up. They really spread and multiply. ;ust thin out new babies as they come up to control them so they don't take over. Bringing them in might be good for you unless you can cover somehow. They ara tree so maybe not because of the height. Just remember cutting them back is their signal to start growing so wait till spring to cut back!

[Boni]

I have aggapanthus that has survived for several years, and foxtail is pretty common. I do see palm trees here and there locally, don't know it they cover them in the winter. I'm not one to baby a plant. I had about six pots of plumeria and now I'm down to one. They just don't do well unless it's really hot in the summer. And I've always taken them in in the winter. Not anymore.

Thanks for the ideas and tips. I'll keep you posted throughout the winter. I love to garden but not as much as quilting.

[seakitten]

Here is the view from my studio, about 3 feet above ground level. Yours probably won't get that tall, but if they are in a warm & sunny spot they should grow. Where I used to live in Southern California, near the coast, they grew beautifully up to the time of flowering, but did not bear fruit. I know in other places where it gets cold in winter, they can have fruit if they are protected from the cold. I'd be interested to see how your do.

[Mirabelle]

Hi Boni

My neighbour has bananas growing and just from watching him he is always trimming the dead leaves and keeps a large patch of ground under the plants free from weeds. He always get bananas and sometimes I am lucky to find a bag hanging from the fence for me.

[Daisy2018]

Dear Karen: Now that's the way to "grow" bananas. !!!!